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Chapter 1: Who is June Spencer and what is her significance in broadcasting?
Hello, I'm Kirsty Young. Thank you for downloading this podcast of Desert Island Discs from BBC Radio 4. For rights reasons, the music choices are shorter than in the radio broadcast. For more information about the programme, please visit bbc.co.uk slash radio 4.
MUSIC PLAYS
My castaway this week is the actress June Spencer. As Peggy Woolley in The Archers, she is one of the best-loved matriarchs in broadcasting. It's 60 years this spring since she took on the role. Back then, The Archers was reckoned to be a Dick Barton for farmers, a programme not of actors playing roles, but of real people whose lives we were overhearing.
She is the only original member of the cast still in the show, and over the years she has seen it all, alcoholism, gambling and bereavement to name just a few. These days she has one of the most demanding and moving storylines in the programme, caring for a husband as he succumbs to dementia. Now aged 90, it might be reasonable to speculate on whether she plans to retire any time soon.
No way, she says, not until I fluff my lines or miss a cue. The Archers then has this unique place in British life, June, and the idea is a really beguiling one, that we somehow have an ear against the radio hearing a slice of real British rural life. Given that you've played the part for so long...
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Chapter 2: What challenges has June Spencer faced in her career?
A lot of people must confuse you with Peggy, do they?
I think sometimes they do. I don't think we have all that much in common. I love my garden. I can't do much in it these days. And Peggy loves her garden. And, of course, both had husbands with dementia. But when people meet me, they say, oh, you look just like I thought you would.
Indeed, I have to say, I mean, it is slightly rude to mention your age in the introduction, but I would put you at 70. I mean, you are in very, very good shape for a woman of 90. Well, thank you very much. You mentioned the similarities. What are the differences between you and Peggy?
I don't think Peggy's got a sense of humour, and I hope I have. I think funny things sometimes happen to Peggy, but...
Chapter 3: How has June Spencer's character in The Archers evolved over the years?
She doesn't see the funny side of things, I'm afraid.
It is 60 years then since the programme was launched. Do you remember, you were originally engaged for how many episodes?
We did a week's trial just to sort of test the water and that was in 1950. And then we didn't hear any more until January 1st, the following year, 1951. And I think we were given a contract for three months.
Did you think when you heard the idea and saw the script that it had the flavour of a long-running series to it?
No, I didn't. Not at all, no. Especially at the fee they were paying. How much was it? Well, there were three stages. There was the top rate, which I was on because I'd done a lot of broadcasting before The Watcher started, and that was £12 for five episodes. And the next one was £10. And even £8.
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Chapter 4: What personal experiences does June Spencer share about her family?
Although you say there are differences and significant ones between you and Peggy Woolley, one of the main ones being that you've got a sense of humour and hers seems suspiciously absent, you both seem to share a sort of steely determination.
I mean, still to be doing what you're doing at 90 and to sustain a career in acting, the most precarious of professions, means that you must have quite a core of steel, I reckon.
Yes, I think, well, I don't know when I'm beaten, you see. Well, I love acting so much. I'm so lucky to have a job that I can still do. It's a great bonus for me that the artist has run as long as it has and I've gone along with it. Let's have some music then. Tell me about the first disc that we're going to hear today, June. I like to be reminded of my wartime years.
On the run-up to the war, my teenage years were a bit muddled because I left school early to look after my mother. My mother's health wasn't good. At the same time, I was just beginning to do the things I really wanted to do. I was studying drama. And at the same time, we young people, we teenagers...
We knew that there was a war coming and the music that brings it back to me most is Fred Astaire and Let's Face the Music and Dance.
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Chapter 5: How did June Spencer's early life influence her career in acting?
It was a rather prophetic lyric and dance we did.
There may be trouble ahead But while there's moonlight and music and love and romance Let's face the music and dance Before the fiddlers have fled Before they ask us to pay the bills And while we still have the chance Let's face the music and dance
Fred Astaire and Let's Face the Music and Dance. So, June Spencer, as we know, you've enjoyed this very long and successful career, but your first forays into show business were really as a sort of comedy entertainer. I'm thinking more in the sort of Joyce Grenfell or even Victoria Wood mould, to bring it bang up to date, where you would construct these comedy monologues and things.
Tell me more about that.
Yes, I'd always... written funny things to amuse myself. My father knew this, and I think he said to somebody, oh, yes, my daughter does humorous monologues, and somebody said, oh, well, we have entertainments... after dinner, Masonic evenings. Would she do that? I just enjoyed doing it. I made them laugh, and that's what I like doing.
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Chapter 6: What impact did World War II have on June Spencer's life?
It sounds terrifying, the idea of stepping out in front of a bunch of, I'm presuming if it was Masonic lodges, just men, who were saying, go on, then make us laugh.
Were you terrified? No, I wasn't. They were all in a good mood. They'd had a good dinner and a few drinks. They laughed easily. And did you find the writing easy as well? Yes, I did. Once I started, it flowed. In fact, French has published my book of monologues. I used to write for Cyril Fletcher, odd odes. So there's rather saucy odd odes.
So have you continued writing throughout your career? Is it always something that you felt the need to do? Or did you stop once you were working on the arches?
Chapter 7: How does June Spencer cope with the loss of loved ones?
I more or less stopped when I had children. No, I did write, this was before The Children, though, I wrote three satirical feature programmes which were broadcast.
So you were born, we'll rewind a little, you were born six months after the end of the First World War. Yes. Home was Nottingham. What was home life like? What kind of house did you live in?
I had a very happy childhood. I was born in a three-storey semi-detached rented house. I had a day nursery and a night nursery. I was very lucky. And I had a rocking horse, which I loved. It sounds a little bit posh, doesn't it? Well, it was a very second-hand rocking horse, I'm quite sure, because my father was earning about, I think, under £400 a year at that time.
And what sort of character was your father?
Chapter 8: What are June Spencer's thoughts on retirement and her future?
Oh, my father was... He was a lovely, reliable, sensible chap. He was always very supportive of me, and of my mother too, because my mother, when she was about 40, decided she was an invalid. So it was my father, really, who did everything for me.
More about your mother later on, but for now, more about you as a little girl. You've said in interviews that you were as young as three when you were stage struck. Tell me what happened.
Yes, well, when I was barely three, I was cast as king of the land of Nod in a play. It was an open air thing. On my cue, they sort of...
sent me out the leading lady who was 12 said he doesn't speak he only smiles upon which I said oh look there's daddy in the audience so he does speak I followed that rapidly with oh mummy it's raining and I got another laugh so I think that's when I heard my first laughs and obviously enjoyed them
Do you remember actually enjoying them?
Oh, I remember it. Oh, yes. Do you? Clearly. What was the feeling? Oh, it wasn't a fee. No, it was all amateur.
No, what was the feeling?
Oh, I'm sorry you said, what was the fee? My mind doesn't run on money, does it? Yes, I can see them all in front of me laughing.
And you thought, I want a bit more of this. Yes, I must have done. Let's have some more music then. June, tell me about your second disc today.
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